The Sport Court

Steve MacManaman

Personal Info

Nationality:

English

Position:

Midfielder

Date of Birth

11.02.1972

Place of Birth

Bootle, Liverpool, England

Overview

A midfielder, he served an apprenticeship at Liverpool, then joined the club (1989-99), before moving to Real Madrid. He joined Manchester City in 2003, retiring from football in 2005. His achievements include FA Cup winner (1992) and League winner (1995) with Liverpool, and twice winner of the UEFA Champions League (2000, 2002) at Real Madrid, scoring Real's second goal in the 2000 final against Valencia in Paris.

McManaman was the first British player to win the UEFA Champions League title twice, and was also the first English footballer to win the Champions League with a non-English club.

McManaman was capped 37 times for England scoring three goals, and with the side only losing three times in the games he played[56]; one of which was the penalty shootout defeat in 1996.

Named in the PFA Team of the Year in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998
Euro 1996 Team of the Tournament
Premier League Player of the Month (1): December 1997
UEFA Champions League Final - Man of the Match: 2000
Alan Hardaker Trophy - 1995

Quote

"The Spanish league has made the greatest contribution because apart from the amount of times they have won the trophy, they have won it by playing football the way it should be.
From the glamourous white shirted Di Stefano to the mercurial, magical Messi, the Spanish League is where everyone wants to play."

"The Spanish league have won the competition by playing football the way it should be. Everyone wants to play in the Spanish league".

Stan Collymore

Personal Info

Nationality:

English

Position:

Striker

Date of Birth

22.01.1971

Place of Birth

Stone, Staffordshire, England

Overview

Stan Collymore is former English footballer who played from 1990 until 2001.

Stan started his career with Stafford Rangers before moving to Crystal Palace and Southend, but it was at Nottingham Forest where he really made his name.

He smashed the British transfer record when he moved from Forest to Liverpool for £8.5m in 1995. In his first season at Anfield he became a Kop favourite by netting 19 times and helping them finish third in the Premier League. He famously scored twice in Liverpool’s amazing 4-3 win over Newcastle, which is regarded as one of the most exciting in Premier League history.

In 1997 he made a £7.5m move to Aston Villa and became only the third Villan to score a hat trick in Europe. He finished his career with Leicester, Bradford, Fulham and Oviedo in Spain.

He was capped three times at senior level by the England national football team against Japan, Brazil and Moldova.

Senior Career

Year

Club

Apps

Goals

Total

251

99

1990

Stafford Rangers

1990-92

Crystal Palace

20

1

1992-93

Southend United

30

15

1993-95

Nottingham Forest

65

41

1995-97

Liverpool

63

28

1997-00

Aston Villa

46

7

1999

Fulham (loan)

6

0

2000

Leicester City

11

5

2000-01

Bradford City

7

2

2001

Real Oviedo

3

0

National Career

Year

Side

Apps

Goals

Total

3

0

1995-97

England

3

0

Awards and Honours

1994–95 Premier League Team of the Year

Quote

"English football has made the greatest contribution the European Cup and the UEFA Champions League. From Wolves "Champions of the World" proclamation in the 50's and inspiring the creation of the original tournament, to 5 decades of English winning teams, with Manchester United possibly making it 6 and, the only league to have 4 different clubs winning the coveted trophy. Our contribution has been the most consistent!".

"From Wolves in the 50's, 5 decades of English winning teams. Our contribution has been the most consistent".

Marcel Desailly

Personal Info

Nationality:

French

Position:

Defender

Date of Birth

07.09.1969

Place of Birth

Accra, Ghana

Overview

One of the greatest modern French footballers, Marcel Desailly was a member of the charismatic French football team which won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. Following those triumphs, he succeeded Didier Deschamps as captain of the team and in 2001 led France to victory in the Confederations Cup held in South Korea and Japan, a feat he repeated two years later in France. He played in total 116 times for France, then a record, before retiring following the 2004 European Championship.

He was awarded the Légion d'Honneur for his part in the 1998 World Cup victory, and in 2001, on behalf of the French team, he received the Laureus World Team of the Year Award in Monaco in recognition of the nation’s European Championship victory.

He also became the first player to win back-to-back Champions Leagues with two different clubs – first with Marseilles in 1993, before triumphing under Fabio Capello at AC Milan in 94. In that 1994 final, where Milan produced one of the greatest performances in the tournament’s history to beat a star-studded Barcelona side, Marcel got on the score-sheet in a 4-0 victory.

Overall Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992/3 – 2001/2)
Chelsea F.C. captain 2000–2004
France national football team captain 2000–2004
UEFA Euro 2000 Team of the Tournament
FIFA Top 100

Quote

"Serie A has been the League where the greatest footballers in the world have always wanted to play.To prove you are the best you have to play in the best league and there is no doubt Serie A is the best."

"To prove you are the best you have to play in the best league and there is no doubt Serie A is the best".

Dietmar Hamann

Personal Info

Nationality:

German

Position:

Defensive Midfielder

Date of Birth

27.08.1973

Place of Birth

Waldsassen, West Germany

Overview

Dietmar "Didi" Hamann (born 27 August 1973) is a German footballer who is currently a first team coach at Leicester City. Throughout his career, he has played for Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Manchester City primarily in a defensive midfield position. He also spent time at MK Dons as a player/coach before joining Leicester City as a first team coach. He was a member of the German national side from 1997 until 2006, and played in the 2002 World Cup Final.

He became an honorary Scouser during seven successful years at Liverpool, where he nurtured a host of young midfield talent and was part of the Champions League winning team of 2005.

Quote

"The Bundersliga has been more responsible for enriching European football than any other league."

"The Bundersliga has been more responsible for enriching European football than any other league".

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Personal Info

Nationality:

Dutch

Position:

Forward

Date of Birth

27.03.1972

Place of Birth

Paramaribo, Surinam

Overview

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a Dutch former centre forward who played for various clubs in the Netherlands, Portugal, England and Spain, as well as the Dutch national team.

He first arrived in England in 1997 with Leeds United. After scoring 20 goals in his first season at Elland Road, Hasselbaink caught the attention of Atletico Madrid and made the £12million switch to Spain. He returned to England in 2000 with Chelsea, who equalled the British record transfer fee when they signed him for £15 million.

Hasselbaink enjoyed a successful four year stay at Stamford Bridge before going on to Middlesbrough – playing in the 2006 UEFA Cup final with them - Charlton and Cardiff City.

He retired in September 2008, a few months after helping Cardiff reach the FA Cup final.

Senior Career

Year

Club

Apps

Goals

Total

468

197

1990

Telstar

4

0

1990-93

AZ

46

5

1995-96

Campomaiorense

31

12

1996-97

Boavista

29

20

1997-99

Leeds United

69

34

1999-00

Atlético de Madrid

34

24

2000-04

Chelsea

136

69

2004-06

Middlesborough

58

22

2006-07

Charlton Athletic

25

2

2007-08

Cardiff City

36

7

National Career

Year

Club

Apps

Goals

Total

23

9

1998-02

Netherlands

23

9

Awards and Honours

Boavista

Portuguese Cup: 1997
Portuguese Supercup: 1997

Atlético Madrid

Copa del Rey: 2000 (runner-up)

Chelsea

FA Cup: 2002 (runner-up)
FA Community Shield: 2000

Middlesbrough

UEFA Cup:2006 (runner-up)

Cardiff City

FA Cup: 2008 (runner-up)

Netherlands

FIFA World Cup: 1998 (4th Place)

Individual

Barclays Golden Boot:
1998–99
2000–01

Quote

"There is no doubt in my mind that the Dutch Erevidisie has made the biggest contribution to the European Cup and UEFA Champions League. The way they teach kids to play the game from when they are pupils until they get in the first team has been remarkable. And all those players go on to other leagues to help them to win the top European trophies."

"The way the Dutch teach kids to play until they get in the first team has been remarkable. Those players go on to other leagues to help them to win the top European trophies".